How to Write a Cover Letter That Gets Read

Why Most Cover Letters Get Skipped

Here is the uncomfortable truth: many hiring managers do not read cover letters. But the ones who do read them use them as a tiebreaker between similar candidates. A strong cover letter will not save a weak resume, but it can push a good resume to the top of the pile.

The reason most cover letters fail is that they read like a worse version of the resume. "I am writing to express my interest in the Marketing Manager position at XYZ Corp. I have 5 years of experience in marketing..." This tells the reader nothing they would not get from a 5-second resume scan.

A cover letter that gets read does something the resume cannot: it tells the hiring manager why this role at this company and what specific problem you can solve for them.

The Three-Part Structure

Every effective cover letter follows this structure, whether it is 200 words or 400.

Part 1: The Hook (2-3 sentences)

Open with something specific. Reference the company's recent work, a challenge the team is facing, or a detail from the job description that genuinely interests you. This signals that you did not copy-paste the same letter to 50 companies.

Bad opening:

"I am excited to apply for the Product Manager position. I believe my skills make me a strong candidate."

Good opening:

"Your team shipped the real-time collaboration feature last quarter, and the approach you described in your engineering blog, prioritizing latency over feature completeness, is exactly how I think about product trade-offs. I would love to bring that mindset to the Senior PM role."

The difference: the second version proves you know something about the company and have a point of view.

Part 2: The Bridge (3-5 sentences)

This is where you connect your experience to the role's core needs. Do not list every job you have had. Pick 1-2 accomplishments that directly address the most important requirements in the job description.

Read the posting carefully. What is the first thing they mention? What do they repeat? That is what they care about most. Address it directly.

"At Meridian, I led the transition from a project-based roadmap to an outcome-based one, which reduced feature churn by 35% and aligned engineering priorities with quarterly revenue targets. I also managed a cross-functional pod of 8 (2 designers, 4 engineers, 1 analyst), which matches the team structure described in your posting."

Two accomplishments. Both relevant. Both quantified. Done.

Part 3: The Close (2 sentences)

End with confidence, not desperation. Do not say "I hope to hear from you." Say something that assumes the conversation will continue.

"I would welcome the chance to discuss how I can help your team scale the product org as you move into enterprise. I am available anytime this week or next."

A Full Cover Letter Example

Here is a complete cover letter using this structure for a fictional Data Analyst position at a fintech company:

Hi Sarah,

I noticed that Finley recently expanded its fraud detection
capabilities after the Series B, and the Data Analyst role
mentions building anomaly detection models as a primary
responsibility. That is exactly the work I have spent the
last three years doing at Banco Digital.

At Banco, I built the anomaly detection pipeline that
flagged $2.4M in fraudulent transactions in its first year,
reducing false positives by 60% compared to the rule-based
system it replaced. I also created the executive dashboard
that the risk team still uses to monitor real-time
transaction patterns across 12 markets.

I would love to talk about how I can help Finley's data
team scale its fraud detection work. I'm available any
time this week.

Best,
Alex Chen

That is 140 words. It is specific, relevant, and ends with a clear next step.

When to Write a Long Cover Letter vs. a Short One

Keep it short (150-250 words) when:

• The application does not specifically require a cover letter
• You are applying through a portal that has a small text field
• The company culture is informal or fast-paced (startups, tech)
• Your resume already speaks for itself

Go longer (300-400 words) when:

• The job posting explicitly asks for a cover letter
• You are making a career change and need to explain the pivot
• You have a connection to the company that adds context (a referral, a customer relationship, a shared mission)
• The role is senior and the hiring process is relationship-driven

Never exceed one page. If your cover letter needs a second page, you are including too much.

Seven Mistakes That Kill Cover Letters

Should You Always Write One?

If the application says "optional," you have a choice. Here is a practical rule:

• If you are mass-applying to dozens of jobs with minimal customization, skip the cover letter. A generic one does more harm than good.
• If you are targeting specific companies and have something meaningful to say about why this role at this company, write one. It takes 15 minutes when you have the structure down, and it can be the difference between "maybe" and "yes."

The math is simple: five thoughtful applications with tailored cover letters will outperform fifty generic applications nearly every time.

Sources

• Harvard Business Review: How to Write a Cover Letter — Framework for structuring cover letters based on hiring manager expectations
• Indeed Hiring Lab: The Role of Cover Letters in Hiring — Data on how employers evaluate cover letters in the screening process
• Glassdoor: Cover Letter Tips from Recruiters — Recruiter perspectives on what makes a cover letter effective

Make Every Application Count

A strong cover letter is the difference between blending in and standing out. If you want help tailoring your application materials to specific roles, Superpower Resume can analyze a job description and help you craft a resume and cover letter that speak directly to what the hiring manager needs.